TikTok, the famous social network, has just received a record fine of 345 million euros from the European Union. This sanction follows violations of data protection rules, in particular concerning the processing of information relating to minors.
The investigation by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), acting on behalf of the EU, revealed several breaches of existing rules. First, it was found that the children’s accounts were automatically set to public mode, exposing their personal information to a wide audience. Additionally, the family connection system was singled out for not always verifying the identity of the parent associated with the child’s account. Finally, TikTok has not been able to guarantee the protection of users under the age of 13, despite the ban on access to the platform for this age group.
TikTok reacted to this decision by claiming to “disagree” with this record fine. The company claims to have modified its features and settings to correct the problems noted by the DPC. It also highlighted its efforts to monitor users’ ages and remove accounts of minors.
This is not the first time TikTok has been fined for similar infractions. The United States, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have already imposed financial sanctions on the company for non-compliance with data protection rules.
This record fine reflects a tightening of controls and legal procedures against tech giants. TikTok, as well as other social media platforms, must therefore take measures to ensure data protection and the safety of users, especially minors.
In conclusion, the fine imposed on TikTok by the European Union highlights the social network’s shortcomings in terms of protecting the data of minors. This sanction recalls the importance for online platforms to respect confidentiality and security rules to ensure user trust.